A good man
by MadMooMe
Summary: A slow love story for the Chief of Police. Charlie befriends the new nurse.
1. Chapter 1

**I do not own any characters from the Twilight series and this story is just for fun.**

1.

The second Charlie Swan twisted the cap of the top if his beer the phone rang. _Typical _he thought. It had been less than 2 hours since he had clocked off work and was more than ready for a relaxing evening in front of the TV. Friday night was all his, the rest of the weekend was to be his time with Bells and his grandchild. This was something he had been looking forward to all month and he just knew that the ringing phone was about to ruin it all.

He took a long swig of the beer expecting it to be the only one he would get and picked up the receiver.

"Yeah"

"Chief, Sorry to bother you but it's Shane Thomason again" said Emma over at the station. Charlie swore under his breath while Emma waited patiently for a response. There were certain situations where the Chief of Police was never off duty and Shane Thomason was one of them.

"Right, where are they?….. OK!…..Tell them I'm on my way… Charlie said with irritation then hung up the receiver. He put his beer back in the refrigerator, jogged upstairs and grabbed his badge and gun. Dressed in jeans and usual checked shirt he pulled the cruiser out of the driveway, radioed in and checked on the situation.

The 28 year old man called Shane Thomason had been a menace to the town since he was about 10 years old. He was building a career on making bad decisions, Charlie was racing to the scene because as a general rule those decisions usually involved someone getting hurt.

Heading out of town along the tree line the sun had well and truly set for the day. Gone were the streetlights of main street and all that lit the way were the headlights from the cruiser. It was't long before he found what he was looking for and he cursed a little more.

Shane stood on the grass verge holding what looked to be young Katie Flynn close to him. His voice was booming over to the two officers, who had adopted a stand off position. Stepping out of the car and walking towards his colleagues he saw through the beam of the headlights that Shane was also waving a gun around. Poor Katie looked terrified as Shane pulled her around like a rag doll. He was screaming at the officers that this was none of their business. This was a different Shane than Charlie had seen before. His behaviour seemed manic, most likely a reaction to some kind of drugs.

"Where the hell did you get a gun, Shane?" Charlie said in his usual impassive tone. He pulled out in front of his officers and into the full view of the man.

Shane suddenly fell silent, his eyes narrowing with hatred as he watched the breath of the Chief catch in the cold night air.

"Who brought this bastard down here?" he shouted with loathing.

"You know by now Shane, that when you mess up, I'm the one they call" Charlie replied and took a step closer.

"I haven't done anything wrong, it was just an argument with my girlfriend" he yelled back

Charlie Swan was a self-possessed man. Life and consequence had made him that way but that hadn't always been the case. As a kid it didn't take much to rile him up and even all these years later, there were times where he wanted to ditch his stoic persona. He looked over at Shane and wanted nothing more than to kick the living crap out of this walking disaster but he couldn't, so instead he took a deep breath and another step closer.

"Done nothing wrong!" he repeated back to Shane in a challenging tone.

"Well let's see, You don't seem your self tonight" he stated referring to Shane's agitated behaviour.

"and your truck is here, so I'd say you've been driving under the Influence. You seem to have done more that argue with Miss Flynn here" he added eyeing up the bruising along her arms.

"And to top it off you have a gun pointed at police officers, so I would say that you have well and truly messed up" He watched Shane take in the information and start to think about what he was doing, Charlie used the time to follow up

"So, put the goddamn gun down before you end up in a whole new world of shit" There was little patience left now in the Chief's words. A minute or two of silence followed while the two men stared at each other and Charlie willed Shane to make a move.

Shane must have read his mind because in a split second he dropped the gun, dropped the girl and hurled himself at the Chief of Police. Charlie struggled to stay on his feet as the guy tried to get a number of punches in. When Charlie seem to gain some control he suddenly felt a sharp pain run down the right side of his body.

"Ahhh" Charlie shouted as he pushed Shane away and delivered a hard punch to his face, sending him straight to the floor. The Chief knew how to throw a punch and normally it was enough to make a guy think about getting back up but whatever Shane had taken seemed to numb his senses and within no time he was getting back on his feet. It was then that Mark and Pete who had secured the girl and gun came running and pinned Shane to the ground. Almost breaking his arm around his back as they pulled a switchblade away for his grip before cuffing him.

"You knifed me?" Charlie yelled with disbelief as he struggled to keep his anger at bay. Pete saw his boss trying to move in and give the now cuffed man another punch but called out to stop him.

"Hey Chief, are you ok?" he asked not able to get a clear view of Charlie behind the glare of the headlights. The Chief stopped and touch below his ear. His fingers touched something wet and even in the dark Charlie knew it was blood.

"Just a scratch I think" he replied calling out to the officers. He touched the blood again and felt a throb of pain flash through the whole right side of his body. He glanced at Katie Flynn who was sat in the back of his cruiser and then at the two officers who had their hands full pulling a kicking and screaming Shane towards their car.

"Look I will run Miss Flynn over to the hospital and get us both checked out, ok. You get that piece of work locked up and I'll be there soon" He said pointing at Shane who was still trying to get out of the strong hold of the two officers.

Charlie watched as they pushed the guy into the back of the car and drove back to the station. Without the headlights the dark seem to draw around him and another thump of pain shot through his body as he climbed back into the cruiser.

The trip to the hospital seemed to take twice as long as usual, he felt pain every time he turned a corner. He tried to distract himself by talking to Katie.

"How are you doing back there?" he called

"I'm ok, Sir, what about you?" she asked, her voice quiet and shaky from her ordeal. He didn't answer, it suddenly seem to take all his concentration to keep on the road.

.


	2. Chapter 2

Jessica Jones was stood behind the nurses station closest to the main doors. Her dark hair was pinned up loosely on top of her head with tendrils escaping around her face. She dotted the I's and crossed the t's on some paperwork while waiting to go for a well deserved break.

She had been in Forks for 8 months, but she was no stranger to towns like this. Jessica moved around a lot and explored new places. There was something a little different about Forks though. There was a split between familiarity and secrets. Whist most folks seemed to know everything about everyone, there was also a strong feeling of mystery about the place. Things happened that were just a little odd. But maybe that was just because she saw things from an outsiders view point.

Most of the hospital staff were townies, born and breed. They lived for gossip on their friends and neighbours and Jessica soon found that she knew intimate details about people she had never met. It made her feel a little uneasy and while she remained friendly towards her colleagues she also kept a certain amount of distance from them, partly afraid of them asking about her own life.

Doctor Cullen was more on the side of mystery. Although people liked to gossip about the Cullen family it was mere speculation as they very much kept themselves to themselves. This was possibly why Jessica had stayed around so long. If the Cullen's could keep there business private then she should be able to do the same.

"Hey Jess, do you think you could have a look at Miss Flynn, she's had an eventful night" The soothing tone of Chief Swan filled Jessica's ears as she finished the paperwork in front of her.

A small smile crept across her face as she lifted her eyes to greet him. But it quickly vanished as she assessed the scene. The Chief was holding on to a young girl who looked in shock but all Jessica could see was Charlie covered in blood all down his right side. His complexion was grey and he swayed as he spoke. Jessica found herself on the other side of the desk quicker than she could breath

"Holy Hell Chief, what happened?" she shouted. Panic evident in her voice whilst she tried to assess the damage. Two other nurses had also rushed to the scene and the sudden fuss seem to take Charlie by surprise.

"Hey it's just a scratch, but you need to have a look at Katie here" he insisted and one of the other nurses took hold of the girl to check her over while Jessica seemed unable to take her eyes of the Chief. She watched the nurses move the girl away from him and he suddenly realised that young Katie had been holding him up. With her no longer by his side Jessica watched him crumble to the floor when a new wave of pain thumped through his body. She dived forward and caught his head just before it smashed into the floor tiles. He looked up at her with an intense gaze as though coming to some realisation.

"Hey, you have really pretty eyes" he said and then he passed out.

The compliment to her eyes floated away in the ether as Jessica helped the team work on Charlie's injuries. Cutting away the checked shirt and jeans revealed a deep wound to his shoulder, one to his thigh and some shallow cuts joining the two. Nothing turned out to be life threatening, once the loss of blood had been addressed.

Charlie awoke to a stiff neck and sore throat. He barely had time to work out where he was before Bella threw herself around his shoulders, his eyes focused on his daughter as her strong hold on him began to cause him pain.

"Hell, Charlie what are you trying to do to me" she yelled at her dad.

"It was just a scratch" was all he could think to say still trying to fill in the gaps of how he was sat in a hospital bed.

"Carlisle tells it a little differently, He tells me you've been stabbed twice. One hell of a weekend you've had planned for us, Charlie" she said with a nervous laugh.

"Where's my grand-daughter, please tell me you didn't bring her here" he asked looking round the room wondering what time it was, he vaguely heard Bella mention she was with Edward when past events started to come back to him. The last thing he remember was seeing Jessica behind the desk…. He was there with… Katie Flynn. That was it.

"How is the girl I brought in….I need my phone, What's happening with Shane at the station?" a hundred things started to file through his head and he moved his arm to search the table for his cell phone but stopped abruptly when an almighty dull pain shot through his shoulder.

Bella watched as her dad cursed loudly at the pain. Although he made a conscious effort not to swear in front of his daughter he often forgot, usually when yelling at some sport on the TV, It made Bella smile a little to see that he probably hadn't realised that he done it.

She watched as he tried moving his arm again more slowly this time but it still hurt like hell. The culprit to his current condition suddenly filled Charlie's thoughts.

"I'm going to kill that little fu….felon" he said this time realising that his little girl was in the room

Doctor Cullen leaned in the doorway watching his friend writhe in pain from his injuries, glad to see him awake and in usual irritated spirits.

"Hey Doc how was the kid I brought in, Katie" he said having still not received an answer from Bella about her.

"She if fine, just a few bruises and mostly shock. We kept her in for a while but she's gone home now, I think some of your officers came to see her about what happened last night".

Both the Doctor and the Bella watched Charlie thinking things through, it was clear that he was still in Chief of Police mode.

"This is why you have a deputy Dad, they are more than capable for getting things done you know that" Bella said giving his hand a squeeze.

"And they are going to have to be capable because you are going stay here for a while, you need to heal" Carlisle added sternly

"How long is a while?" Charlie asked a little annoyed that he wasn't allowed to go as soon as he had woken up.

"Until I say so" came the response and Charlie looked over at his friend with a feeling of utter helplessness.


	3. Chapter 3

Jessica had managed to create more work that she could cope with since Charlie had been admitted. Needing every distraction she could find to stop herself walking to his room. After the commotion had settled on his blood soaked arrival, that comment about her 'pretty eyes' came floating back in to her consciousness.

It was a problem. She was pretty sure he wouldn't remember saying it. The Chief hadn't been clear headed at the time, what with all the blood loss and Jessica probably should have written it off as incoherent rambling except that it had been the second time he had said it to her.

The first time was the night they were forced to chaperone the school dance. She had only been in Forks for a month and had been 'volunteered' for the job. The Chief was there looking equally pissed off and he somehow managed to persuade her to help him patrol the school 'stopping anyone from having fun' as he put it. They consequently got wasted on confiscated alcohol and he had made some comment about her eyes. She was fairly sure he hadn't remembered saying it that time either.

The issue with all that was it now made her wonder if there could be something more than friendship between the two of them. It had given her the smallest amount of hope, but at the same time she knew that hope was probably pointless. Charlie Swan was number one on the Forks list of favourite people to gossip about. She had discovered this very early on in the nurses lounge, right from the ordeal of his wife leaving him to his teenage daughter getting married. But the main topic that seemed to be constantly trending was the fact that he was still single and after all these years no matter how pretty a face or how good a home cooked meal you could offer, Charlie Swan just wasn't interested. And she had heard that many had tried, oh so many.

So for the sake of their friendship Jessica needed to stay away from that room of his. She needed time to get over her little crush so she didn't risk losing what they already had.

But….what if there was something between them shouldn't she go and find out.

'Damn you Charlie Swan!' She cursed

The guy was like the first time she tasted beer. At first she couldn't understand what all the fuss was about but in no time she was hooked. Now just the thought of that ice cold taste was enough to make her want to overindulge over and over again. She definitely needed to stay away from that room.

Sitting in that hospital room was killing Charlie. He liked peace and quiet but this was ridiculous. He was stuck either staring at blank magnolia walls or enduring visits from the 'Forks faithful' These were what he called the women that even after all these years still looked for every opportunity to mother him or take him off the singles market. If one more of them offered to 'help with his recovery' he might dig out the stitches in his shoulder and jam a plastic fork in there in order to make him pass out from the pain for a while.

But what was worse than that, was the solitude. When he was alone with his thoughts they always centred around the same thing, 'Bella' and the world she now inhabited. In the beginning he was told what he needed to know. But over time things changed and eventually he knew everything.

The existence of supernatural beings was not an easy thing to get your head around, but that was nothing compared to everything he discovered about people he thought he knew. His life on the surface looked great. He had is daughter, had gained a son-in-law and a beautiful grandchild, not to mention a whole new family in the Cullen's. But sometimes he couldn't stop his thoughts from digging deeper and this is where he struggled to get over that fact that his daughter, his Bells, had in fact died, that she was no longer on this earth as a human and it broke his heart.

It seemed like just yesterday when he held her as a new born, a warm little bundle of joy in his arms and now, only a few years later, she was no longer his. He had failed in this fatherly duty. That instinct to protect her had been worthless, everything that had gone on had happened under his watch and it would take a very long time for him to come to terms with that.

Now in those too short moments when Bella allowed him to put his arms around her and pull her close, he felt only cold, the warmth of his blood that once ran through her veins was no longer there and he found it too much to bare.

His mind wandered to the day he had first come to this realisation. It was the day of the school dance. The Cullen's had come and sat with him in his lounge and told him the whole truth. It was a long day of listening and not much talking, not much from him anyway. It seemed that Charlie struggled to get any questions out, but that didn't matter, for they seem to be able to see into his head and answered the questions he was unable to ask. He could barely bring himself to look over at his daughter who sat watching his every reaction to he news. The quick glances in her direction forced more tears into his eyes. In the end he just stood up, looked around the room, thank them for telling him and announced his departure.

He needed to get out of the house and that dammed chaperone thing was as good an excuse as any. He walked all the way to the school allowing a couple of those tears to spill now he was alone. His mixed up thoughts started to edge to the back of his mind as he approached the school and the buzz of hormones was thick in the air. He rolled his eyes at how he'd been persuaded in doing this thing while he pushed his way though a crowd of teenagers. Mirror balls and crap music packed his senses and he headed straight for the food table. The fearsome stature of the Vice principal appeared in front of him.

"Adele" he greeted with a mouthful of food

"Glad to see you made an effort tonight, Chief" she said giving him the once-over at his usual t-shirt and jeans combo. Dressing appropriately had been the last thing on his mind after the day he'd had.

"Just tell me what you want me to do, Adele" he replied in a jaded tone

"Simple, No drink, no drugs, no sex" she informed him, counting off the trinity of transgressions on her fingers

"Does that include me or just the kids?" he quipped but she was unimpressed with the immature response and just rolled her eyes before walking away.

It took another 10 minutes of listening to whiny diva's with pointless lyrics filtering though the PA system before he spotted Jess sat at the end of the bleachers, she actually looked like she wanted to be there even less than he did. She seemed anxious and he saw her physically jump when a gaggle of girls went screeching past her.

He realised that was what he needed right then, someone else's problems to become his concern instead of his own and he walked over to her complete with a bowl of chips.

"Hey, I'm Charlie Swan, we met at the hospital a couple of weeks ago" he said as he sat down next to her offering up the food he had snatched.

"I know who you are, Chief. I never forget a moustache" she quipped. The cheeky remark made him smile and want to get to know her better. It was then that he watched her jump again when a couple of howling guys passed through the room.

"Hey 'you ok?" Charlie asked

"I'm not really good in busy…noisy kind of places" she replied with a little embarrassment in her voice.

He suggested they patrolled the corridors where is was quieter. He waited for what seem like an eternity for her to agree. She seemed conflicted in taking him up on his offer. Charlie wondered what her story was. There was a reason she had moved to Forks and he would ask her about it at some point but that could wait.

Pretty much everything after that was a blur. It may not have been the best move for the Chief of Police to get off his face drunk whilst supposedly chaperoning minors but it had been one of the worst days he could remember and for a little while it helped him forget and it seemed to help Jessica get through the night as well.

"Charlie!" he came out of the daydream at the sound of his name, his eyes fixing back on those blank walls before he saw Carlisle in the door way.

"Can I go home yet?" he asked which happened to be the same question he asked when anyone with any authority came into his room.

The Doctor came around to examine the healing of wounds and cursed at the one in his shoulder which seemed to have started bleeding again.

"God Charlie, What have to been doing to yourself?" he demanded

It took Charlie a good minute to realise what had caused it. It could well have been the fact that he'd spent the day angling himself rather uncomfortably into a position where he could see if his favourite nurse passed by.


	4. Chapter 4

**Sorry it took a while to update. It is quite annoying when life gets in the way of imagination. Anyway hope it's ok.**

Jessica regarded Charlie as a friend. One of the very few she had in Forks. Which was ridiculous because all that friendship actually consisted of, was one hour a week sat together in the nurses lounge while he waited to have lunch with Doctor Cullen. Carlisle was often caught up with a patient or called to an emergency and that left Charlie hanging around, waiting. They would sit next to each other, quietly watching TV or reading a magazine occasionally commenting on it's contents. It was nice, it was relaxing, it felt…..safe. Wait! No! not safe, it would be a very long time before she ever feel safe again.

Taking a deep breath and shaking her head Jessica pulled herself away from thinking about her eventful past and continued to carry an arm full of medical supplies down the corridor. She was on a later shift and only been in work for an hour or so when the unavoidable walk passed Chief Swan's room proved to be a mistake. Doctor Cullen had collared her and insisted she go and see Charlie, who had apparently been asking for her.

The Doc was not someone you could say no to. He had been exceptionally kind to Jessica since she arrived in Forks. He helped her get work at the hospital and also find a place to live. She also found it hard to refuse a man who had willingly taken in half a dozen teenagers. That seriously couldn't' be an easy thing to do. Although she had never mentioned what had brought her to Forks it seemed that he had a radar for troubled souls. So, as she looked into his mesmerising eyes all she could do was smile, nod her head and reluctantly trace the steps she had taken back towards the Chief's room.

She stood at the door jamb and peered inside, her arms still filled with medical supplies, wisps of hair falling over her face leaving only her breath to blow the strands away from her eyes. Charlie was sat up in the bed staring out of the window. He looked melancholy, a little lost in the silent room. His complexion was pale but still looked a hundred times better than when he had walked into the hospital.

"Jess" he said when he turned to see her stood there, a smile forming on his lips. Oh Hell, she was in trouble. She felt a warmth inside her just hearing him say her name.

"I know you are busy but I wondered if you would stop by and keep me company when you have a break or something" he asked. Jessica thought she could hear an almost pleading tone to his words.

She tried to think for a moment

_washing my hair_

_The bus was late_

_The Dog ate it_

It seemed that her brain couldn't'even think up a sensible excuse to decline the request.

Charlie was waiting for her answer looking at her the same way he always did. He have never been an easy guy to read, His aloofness was frustrating at times. He showed little bouts of anger here and there and the odd smile but nothing with any passion behind it ,so it was hard to know how he was truly feeling. But she was pretty sure looking at him now, that he expected nothing more that friendship from her. She took in a deep breath smiled sweetly and answered.

"I'll try my best, it could be late, I just got on duty and everyone seems to want my company tonight"

Evening had come to the hospital by the time Jessica managed to escape for her lunch break. Walking back into Charlie's room she found him standing at the foot of the bed. His eyes were closed and his left hand gripped the bed rail with white knuckle intensity .

"What are doing?" she enquired playfully and he lifted his eyes to look at her.

"Going to the bathroom" he replied still not moving from his current position

"Not where you are standing I hope" she giggled then watched him sway slightly and he closed his eyes again.

"Just got a bit dizzy" he said, his grip growing stronger on the rail at the end of the bed.

"The heat and the dryness of this place is ridiculous, it's making me light-headed" he continued to say

"And that couldn't't be caused from of the massive blood loss or injuries you have sustained" she posed sarcastically

She watched him shake his head as that suggestion. God, he was stubborn.

"You should get back in bed"

"Nope, Not pissing in a bottle" he answered as he let go of the rail and took a tentative step closer to the bathroom door.

"Can I help you then?" she asked watching the painfully slow shuffle across the room. He stopped for a moment and she watched his thought process. His pride fighting against the urgent of need to relieve himself, his shoulders slumped in defeat and he accepted her offer.

Jessica moved towards him. She put her arm around his waist and could feel the warmth of his body radiating though the thin hospital gown. The sudden awareness that he had a decent body hidden beneath those padded checked shirts or thick Police issue windbreaker was almost too much to bare.

She walked him in to the bathroom and then left him to it. The vulnerability of this strong, 6 foot man made her heart melt a little. She cursed. That walk to the bathroom had been agony for both of them just in very different ways.

Once he was back in bed Jessica sat in the chair and placed her feet on the end of the mattress. She threw a 6 inch sub at him that she had bought from the local deli and watched him study the large sandwich like she just presented him with a gold ingot .

Charlie took a mouthful of bread and sighed as though he hadn't eaten for weeks.

"So what do you want to watch on this piece of shit TV?" he asked pointing to the small antique looking box in the corner of the room.

"The best I could find was Dawson's Creek or old episodes of The Daily Show"

"Dawson's Creek please" she requested more to annoy him than because she wanted to watch it. He rolled his eyes but did as she asked..

Then they were back to their old routine, quietly sat, occasionally snorting at the ridiculous situations the Dawson kids got themselves into but basically just enjoying each other's company.

Jessica looked at her watch, ten minutes left and then she was back to work. She sighed and looked back at the TV, trying to feel the warmth of that North Carolina sunshine and the innocence of those 16 year old kids.


	5. Chapter 5

Their time was almost up. Charlie caught Jessica looking at her watch . He wished they had longer together. She had become a bit of a project for him ever since that night at the school dance. From what Charlie could see, she seemed to be this well put together women, who was intelligent, funny and in his opinion very beautiful but all that was pinned behind a wall of fear. It was clear that she wasn't in Forks because she liked to travel around. She was there because she was running from something. He didn't' _need_ to know what that something was, but he really, really _wanted _to know what had forced to his part of the country.

He had talked to Carlisle about it all. The Doc had spoke of how she was one of the best nurses he had. So knowledgeable and calm under pressure, volunteered for overtime and never complained. But that was all she seemed to do, work. Carlisle had invited her to social events but she always declined, she was never seen in the bars in town and apart from chaperoning that school dance he had only ever seen her at the hospital charity day where she spent the entire time trying to become invisible.

Those lunch breaks in the nurses lounge had started months back, a way to kill time while he waited for the Doc but that hadn't lasted long. After only a couple of months he was taking extra long lunches from work just so he could spend more time with her. She was slowly getting more confident and not just with him. Carlisle said he noticed it too. She involved herself more with the other staff, seemed to smile more but still wouldn't' attend anything outside of work.

He watched Jessica stir from her seat beside his bed. Their time was up.

"Who do have I to arrest in order for you to spend more time with me" he asked and watched her smile sweetly at his attempt at humour as she stood up from the chair.

"You know for the first fifteen minutes you helped me to the bathroom, so technically you were still working at that point". It was a last desperate attempt to keep her a bit longer and he saw her weigh up his reasoning.

"Why are you trying to keep me here?" she asked a little puzzled and it made Charlie panic trying to think of a reason.

"Well, when you're here the other's leave me alone" he said referring to the Forks faithful who seem to pass by his room at all hours of the day. It took a minute for her to understand what he meant, then as it dawned on her a smile grew across her face

"Awww what a hard life you lead Chief, having all those women running round after you" She mocked

"They drive me crazy Jess, They think I'm some broken mess that just needs a good women to sort me out" he said inviting Jessica's to sit down just for a few more minutes.

"I am who I am. I'm not broken, I certainly don't need fixing, I'm just happy being old, boring and set in my ways" he finished and realised he just revealed more information than he intended.

"I think we are all a little bit broken Chief, and it maybe annoying, but it must be nice to know that someone cares" Jessica said. Charlie saw a far off look in her eyes as she spoke and he once again wondered what she had been through to make her say something like that. The sadness however was sort lived and her eyes smiled as she looked over to him

"You know I was a little surprised when I first met you" she said leaving Charlie wondering why the change in topic.

"I'd been working at the hospital for about a couple of weeks or so and I would hear stories of about the Chief of police. So kind and so helpful and such a good man. Then I'm stood at the desk on a rare sunny day and this guy materialises in aviators and that moustache looking like something out of a 1970's porn film and introduces himself as Chief Swan"

"I didn't' realise you were so familiar with that type of entertainment " Charlie jibed

"I was just amused by that moustache, you don't see many of them around these days. What do the girls say when you kiss them with that thing? " Jessica mused

"Never had a complaint yet" he answered calling on some pleasant memories but when he looked over at Jessica he was sure he could see her blush.

That seemed to bring an abrupt the end of the conversation, and Charlie watched as she bid him goodnight and returned to work. It was good to see her smiling, she definitely was becoming more confident and that made him happy.

When the Doc called to Charlie's room the next day with the news he could go home he almost kissed the guy. It was the best news. Just the thought of his own cold house, the peace and quiet of his living room and the ability to ignore his door bell if he wished brought a smile to his face.

Some time later he was shuffling slowly across the room packing away his belonging when Jessica arrived at the door. He couldn't' seem to stop the smile on his face that had been there since the morning. He turned to her.

"I'm going home, bet you're glad to have your lunch hour back to yourself" he said and she just nodded back

How are you getting home? She enquired

"Bells is picking me up any minute now in the truck"

There was a sudden awkward silence in the room. He couldn't' understand why, but Jessica seemed to look uncomfortable in his presence. He picked up a get well soon card from the night stand and placed it in his bag.

"We should go out for a drink, you and me" she suddenly blurted out and Charlie seem to freeze in position. 'Where had that come from' he thought to himself and it caused him to panic a little. He looked up at her, she too was immobile and seemed shocked at what had come out of her mouth .

"Do you mean as friends or as…..something more" he asked her not sure he wanted the answer. And he didn't' get one, which, was just as bad because he knew that the lack of reply meant the latter. 'Oh crap' he thought, why had she asked that question. It changed everything. He was happy with their relationship. This little friendship they had meant a lot to him. He needed to put this right, just explain.

"Look…..Jess" he said and suddenly saw the devastation on her face that those two words caused. He tried to say more, but at that moment Bella breezed into the room and completely changed the atmosphere. She spoke but neither of them really listened. Charlie kept his gaze on Jessica seeing a look of regret on her face. She had put herself out there and he had just crushed it all.

"Charlie! hey Dad!" He turned to see that Bella had been asking him something, he had no clue what but in that time it had taken to turn his head, Jessica had vanished.

The string of F words that formed in his mind was long and fierce and as he glanced over to see the shocked expression on his daughters' face. He realised then that those thoughts hadn't stayed in his head.


	6. Chapter 6

"You need to leave, now!" Charlie forcefully suggested looking down at a particularly unpleasant man who had spent the last 4 hours verbally abusing staff and visitors at the hospital like it was a fun game to pass the time.

The stranger leaned back into a chair in the waiting area, his dirty blonde hair half covering his eyes which he used to look up menacingly at the Chief and refused to move.

Charlie shouldn't' have even been there. He had only just returned to work and was on desk duty until he'd passed a medical and fire arms test. He had arrived at the hospital to see Carlisle and come across the man whilst waiting.

"You are not ill or injured, you're not waiting to see a sick friend or relative, so you have no reason to be here" The Chief said starting to slowly lose any patience he had left. Which really wasn't very much at all. Together with being stuck at the station dealing with horrendous amounts of admin, he still hadn't seen Jess since the awful conversation the day he left the hospital and it was all playing on his mind.

That was almost three weeks ago, she was avoiding him like the plague. So Charlie had taken to using the Doc as an excuse to go up to the hospital hoping to see her, but he was once again unsuccessful. It turned out she was on leave from work for the week.

"I'm not going anywhere, I'm looking for someone" the stranger said folding his arms like a child having a tantrum. Charlie could see scuffed knuckles and knew that this guy was not a stranger to violence. He could tell that if the situation was left up to hospital security someone was going to get hurt.

"Who are you looking for?" the Chief asked and caught sight of the Doc arriving, coming over to see what was happening. The stranger seem to think hard for a few minutes. Clearly not wanting to discuss things with the police but on the other hand the right reaction would let him know that he was in the right place.

"A friend…Jesse Cooper" he said deciding to disclose the information.

Charlie felt the Doc stiffen beside him, seemingly coming to the same conclusion as he himself had done. This conversation was not heading in a good direction. Charlie took a deep breath and kept his poker face.

"Hey Doc, does that name ring a bell with you?". Charlie asked. Carlisle just shook his head and the Chief thought he heard a low growl coming off the Daddy Vampire.

"Is this 'Jesse' a boy or girl?, have they been admitted to the hospital or do they work here?" he asked already fearing the answers.

"Jesse is a girl, dark hair, green eyes and she a trained nurse" he said at which point Charlie felt a shock of ice hammer through his body. He knew then without a shadow of a doubt that his stranger was the reason for why _his_ Jess was in Forks, he was the reason she was running from town to town and why she was so introverted. It took all the will power Charlie could muster not to drag the man from his chair and actually do him some damage.

He felt Carlisle move a little closer, in to 'restraining' distance. It seemed the good Doctor could sense his wrath filled thoughts. He allowed himself to calm for a moment and then spoke again.

"Still doesn't ring a bell, and the Doc here, pretty much knows everyone, so I'm guessing she's not here. So lets move on shall we" Charlie suggested using his hands in an ushering type of movement.

The guy didn't move insisting that he would wait until he was sure she wasn't there. That's when Charlie lost it.

"Get. Up!" he demanded with a look of disgust written across his face. The stranger stood slowly dripping with menace meeting the Chief inch for inch in height, the pair squaring off like two football players having a squabble.

"I'm not leaving" the man said again causing Charlie to take action

"You're slurring your words a bit there, how much have you been drinking?" Charlie asked starting to move for the handcuffs that hung around the back of his belt

"You have got to be kidding, I'm not even close to being drunk" the man answered, seeming to know what the Chief was about to do.

"I beg to differ, turn around and face the wall please" Charlie asked once and then physically pushed him to the wall when he failed to comply, snapping the hand cuffs shut, listening to a roll of protests coming from the man

"I'm arresting you for being a public nuisance and… for pissing me off" Charlie said pulling a wallet from the man's back pocket and reading the ID on his drivers licence.

"I think you need some time to sober up down at the station…Francis Cooper" he said reading the name off the ID and almost choking on the last name that matched the one he had given for Jess.

Carlisle looked on uncomfortably as he watched the Chief march the man out of the building towards the cruiser. Charlie didn't have the power to arrest anyone until that medical had been signed off, so what was he going to do with the guy..

Back at the station the stranger sat in a cell supposedly sobering up. Charlie sat at his desk staring at the ID. Francis Cooper or Frank as he was usually called. The name matched the one on the computer screen, where he studied one hell of a rap sheet. There was a lot of charges, all for violent crimes, and he had also done a fair amount of time in prison. Charlie was forced to reign in his imagination so he didn't start to think about what a man like that could have possibly done to Jess to make her run so far away.

His Deputy, Mark knelt by the side of Charlie forcing him to take his eyes away from the computer screen.

"You can't keep him here, Chief" he said and Charlie nodded in defeat

"I going to let him go, Now" Mark added, slowly walking away from the desk and Charlie cursed a little that he couldn't keep him longer.

He met Frank Cooper at the front desk and handed the wallet back. The man grabbed at it with a look of hatred for the Chief, it kind of made Charlie smile a little.

"Don't go upsetting anymore people while your in town" he said as the man started to walk through the front door, then Charlie called him back

"Just so you know, this is a small town, people generally don't stay long here, they just pass though on the way to the city" He was quiet for a moment and then added:

"There isn't much to keep people here." The comment made him think of Renee and for a moment he still felt the pang of heartbreak even after all these years.

Less than 30 seconds after Frank Cooper walked out of the station Charlie had pulled out his cell phone and rang Jacob Black. The kid had done a lot of growing up over the last couple if years. He had taken on a lot of responsibly and was showing he could more than handle it. Jake was a sensible kid and most importantly trustworthy. And as long as he kept his clothes on Charlie had the up most respect from him.

"Hey, it's Charlie, I need you to do me a favour" he began and then explained how he wanted him to keep tabs on Frank Cooper, call back immediately if any trouble occurred, told him to keep his distance and no circumstances get caught.

Then he rang Carlisle.

"Ok, the guy's out. Let me know if he comes back your way." he paused

"Please don't mention this to Jess, I don't want her running if he is the reason why she's here. Let me find out more first before we tell her" he waited for Carlisle's reaction and was surprised when he agreed.

"I already know more" Carlisle added and started to fill Charlie in.

The Doctor had gone to HR and checked on Jessica's work application. When they had called her past employment for references HR confirmed she was known there by Jessica Cooper. It turns out that Cooper was her married name.

"Charlie, she used to be married to the guy". Carlisle summarised

An hour later Charlie was still at work trying to concentrate on a set of reports he had in front of him, but all his eyes could see where those notes on Frank Coopers rap sheet. Assault and Battery came up so many times, he prayed that Jessica had not been subject to any of that.

10 minutes before quitting time his cell rang, it was Jacob

"He's left town" Jake reported

"What, How?" the news had taken Charlie by surprise and he nearly upended the paperwork gathering across his desk.

"He was pretty keen to get away, It seems that he stepped to close to the forest and may have encountered a pack of wolves there".

The Chief smiled then, like he had always said, Jacob Black had turned out to be a great guy. Charlie had always liked him.


	7. Chapter 7

**Thanks of reading. I don****'****t know if it is any good, It****'****s just nice to get the thoughts out of my head. Getting near the end now, possibly another 2 or 3 chapters. **

Jessica could swear that someone was stealing the damn vases. She had checked every room while on her medication rounds and couldn't find one anywhere. Poor Mrs Bell would have to sit her flowers in a Big Red Cup at this rate.

She was back at work after a week off and it was good to be keeping busy. After the rounds she found her self searching through odds and ends and lost property under the front desk by the main entrance. Single gloves, lip gloss, pacifiers and glasses cases adorned the selves. There was also a play station controller which seemed an odd thing to lose in a hospital waiting area, but no vase. Crouched low, peering into the back of the shelves she momentarily turned her head and saw a pair of familiar black Doc Martins stood at the end of the desk.

"Oh Crap" she stated looking up at the Chief for the first time after a successful stretch of avoiding him

"I get that reaction a lot" he replied but Jessica couldn't gage if he was happy to see her or not. Slowly she got to her feet and faced him. He looked serious and a little tired. Jessica wondered if he was back to full health or his injuries were still causing him problems.

"I…I'm sorry for avoiding you for so long" she stuttered wishing she had a better thought out explanation

"I just felt so embarrassed . I don't know why I did it, you had only said the evening before that you had no interest in dating anyone and then I go and essentially ask you out" She was rambling and couldn't seem to stop

"I feel like I have ruined our friendship, I know you don't feel that way about me, I wish I could take it all back" she finished

Charlie had looked at her throughout this speech but had glanced away when she mentioned about the way he felt about her and Jessica hadn't noticed the tell. It was true that Charlie had no interest in dating anyone but he would be lying to himself if he didn't admit that he found her pretty amazing. She wouldn't have been on his mind so much if he had no interest in her.

With the speech finished she stared at him waiting for his reaction, but he didn't seem angry or amused he just looked concerned. Charlie was quiet for a minute as though thinking something through and then coming to a decision.

"The big game is on tonight, I have some friends coming over to the house to watch it. You are coming too" he said, it was more of a demand than a request.

She shook her head. Not a chance was that happening. She wasn't spending an evening with a bunch of strangers.

"I'll think I'll pass, I have to…"

"You're coming Jess, it's only 6 people, two of which are me and you, sat in a living room watching the TV, it's hardly an illegal rave, so you can't get out of it". He touched her arm as a re-assurance that it would be ok and then left her alone.

Later Jessica sat at home settling into a John Le Carre novel when there was a knock at the door. She shot to her feet, fearing the worst. Jessica did not get visitors especially unannounced, her mind automatically feared Frank had found her again and she started to run through her checklist. Where was her emergency packed bag?, Which road was the quickest out of town?. Where was her next destination?.

Even after all these years she can't separate the name Frank from the physical pain he caused her last time he found her. Frank Cooper had beaten her severely for running away, she still had a few scars to proof it. Jessica found herself shaking from head to foot with fear as she walked to the window edge to get a glimpse through. It took a minute for her hand to steady enough to move the drapes a tiny fraction and what she saw was the damn cruiser.

Jessica took deep breaths forcing herself to calm down enough so she could open the door without giving the Chief an ear full for scaring her half to death. He knocked again when she hadn't answered and Jessica pulled open the door abruptly.

Charlie stood on the porch, his eyes wide with shock as he studied Jessica.

"You…You don't looked dressed" he stammered. Jessica who had expected to have a quiet night in, had dressed in her night clothes. Vest top and shorts. Charlie seemed unable to keep his eyes off her legs. Suddenly embarrassed by her appearance Jessica ran back inside, up the stairs hunting for a pair of jeans and T-Shirt.

"I wasn't planning on going over to yours, I kind of told you as much when you asked me at work" she shouted down the stairs while she changed and could hear Charlie enter the living room closing the front door behind him.

"I gathered that when you didn't turn up, but I told you, not coming wasn't an option" he shouted up the stairs after her.

"Listen, I really don't want to go somewhere with a bunch of people I don't know, Chief" she said remerging fully dressed.

Charlie seemed to glance at her legs again even though they were now covered with tight jeans.

"Well, there's Mark from down at the station, you know him. Then there's Jacob Black, he came to visit me at the hospital" Charlie began to say.

Jessica remembered seeing the kid. He was not someone you forgot. Jake was the sort of guy that made every girls head turn, young or old. She'd have to admit to giving him a double take herself as he passed her in the hospital.

"So the only two people you haven't met is my best friend Billy and Sue, so really it's only two strangers" Charlie finished

"Sue..Sue Clearwater?" Jessica asked remembering hearing the name in the nurses lounge as the woman who almost won the heart of the Chief.

Charlie gave a knowing smile to her intrigue. He knew the rumours about him and Sue. Some of them where even true. He had gotten close to Sue. They had some fun together. But it was all down to circumstances. He had been there for her after Harry passed away and Sue had been there for him when Bella got sick. In the end when all the drama settled he realised that his heart wasn't in it. He loved Sue Clearwater immensely but not in a romantic way. He also knew that Sue felt the same way.

"You don't have to worry about Sue, she is the worlds nicest person and she will love having another women there". he said but all that hadn't really convinced Jessica to leave her house. She started to shake her head again when Charlie interrupted. He looked over at the TV in the centre of the room and threw himself backwards on to her couch.

"Here's the thing, I just wanted to spend a bit of time with you Jess, you have a TV, so I'll just watch the game here with you" he said starting to take off his jacket.

"I'll come to yours" she quickly blurted out.

Her emotions were conflicted. She liked this man a lot and knew that time alone would not help her move him back into the friends zone, Jessica also felt a little bit of fear at the idea of being alone with him. She knew he was not like Frank in way, shape or form, but… what if he _did_ hurt her. She would be a fool to put her complete trust in someone after what she had been through. So with that in mind she had to go over to his house.

"What we eating tonight?" Billy had asked handing out the beers to everyone sat around the couch in Charlie's living room

"I'll go and see" Sue replied opening the freezer and peering through a range of casserole dishes filled with the home cooked meals Charlie had been given while in hospital.

They ate lasagne, drank beer and listened to the Chief, oblivious to the choice words leaving his mouth whilst watching the game. Jessica sat back for a while and watched the scene in front of her. It was relaxed and joyful and it took her a while to realise that she was not on the sidelines watching other people but she was actually part of it.

The following months brought much the same. Jessica was invited to other gatherings and realised for the first time since she was a teenager, she had a group of friends. It was a huge step forward for her. The only problem was her attraction for the Chief was not going away and _he_ wasn't helping in the matter. Jessica could often feel his eyes on her when she was in the room. Sometimes to the point where he wouldn't even look away when she caught him doing it.

The evening everyone assembled around at Jessica's house was a game changer. Billy had brought the beer and it was a heck of lot stronger than the normal stuff. The group found themselves on the wrong side of merry far to early in the evening. Charlie walked into the kitchen and saw Jessica sat on the counter. He stood right up to her, leaning around her to seize another drink. He was a little too close and lifted his hand to move a loose strand of hair away from her face. She felt her stomach flip as he stared at her for the longest moment and then said for the third time.

"You really do have amazing eyes"

He was not playing fair, Jessica thought. A man who just wanted to stay friends had no right to do this to her. There was no doubt in Jessica's mind that Charlie Swan had feelings for her and she would have to take action.


	8. Chapter 8

Jake had a lot of things going for him but the ability to hold a tune was not one of them. He stood on the small stage at the local bar banging out Duran Duran's 'Hungry Like the Wolf' on karaoke. It was so bad Jessica had stomach ache from laughing so much. But to give him credit he was giving it his all.

The performance was in the aid of Deputy Mark's birthday. The big 40. Most of the town had filed into the small function room in the local bar. It was loud and claustrophobic, pretty much everything Jessica hated. Too many memories of her past flitted through her head. A time when she allowed Frank Cooper to do awful things to the innocent, naïve girl she once was through a haze of drug and alcohol fuelled parties.

But Jessica had finally moved on. She looked around the room and saw friends amongst the sea of strangers. Friends she was fairly sure would never try to hurt her. It still didn't feel natural to be in a room with so much going on but Jessica had stayed, she was still hanging on in there.

Bella Swan had stopped by briefly with her husband. Jessica hadn't met Edward Cullen before but they seemed well suited. He had a James Dean quality about him, a timeless look as though he could have been from any era. Neither of them stayed long, they looked the way she felt, uncomfortable in a room full of seething bodies but they managed to escape relatively un-noticed. Jessica wondered if she could manage the same thing.

Jacob arrived at Jessica's side flashing those bright white teeth.

"So what did you think of the performance?" he asked

"I have honestly never seen anything like it before" she answered diplomatically

"You think that was something, You want to see me howl" he said with bravado

Jessica blushed slightly at this boy who was very aware of the sexual allure he emitted to all those around him. Jake had glanced over at the Chief who was stood a couple of feet away and saw a deadly glare coming from his Dad's best friend. It made Jake smile and he hoped that the Chief would do something about his obvious jealousy.

Jessica wondered to the main bar area away from the function room. It was a lot quieter there. A few people sat at the tables, absorbed in their own conversations and although the jukebox played, the sound was a lot more unobtrusive. She stood by the unattended bar and breathed in the peaceful surroundings.

"I'll be with you in a moment" a bar tender said as he ran the length of the counter with a tray full of empty glasses in the direction of the party. A harassed look across his face. Jessica just smiled, she was in no hurry.

A short while later she felt someone sidle up to her, bumping shoulders. It was the Chief. He smiled warmly and asked if she was ok

"Yeah, just taking a breather, it was all getting a bit much" Jessica replied watching the bar tender run passed again.

"What are you drinking?" the Chief asked and Jessica gave him her order. Charlie then leaned over the bar as far as he could looking in the direction of the party and called out to the hassled bar tender.

"Bobby!, we want six beers here"

"Ok, Chief, on my way". Jessica laughed, the Chief of Police abusing his power.

"You look very nice by the way" Charlie said looking at the simple blue dress she had put on for the occasion, it wasn't too revealing and stopped just above her knees. She noticed him looking at her legs again.

"You don't look so bad yourself" Jessica replied noticing the jeans he wore seemed to fit him very well and his t-shirt would ride up slightly revealing a patch of skin when he reached or leaned too far. She caught the edge of a tattoo on his sleeve line. Jessica had seen it once before, when he was covered in blood the day he came in the hospital but her mind had been focused on saving his life rather than seeing how he'd been inked. Overall the Chief was looking pretty good.

The beers arrived and Charlie grabbed all but Jessica's drink in his hands.

"You coming back to the party?" he asked starting to step away from the bar. She looked up into his eyes.

"No, I can't get this close to you in there" she said almost choking with nerves. Charlie was quiet for a second and she was sure he was about to bolt.

"Ok' he replied deciding to stick around and stepped back towards her. He called over poor Bobby again and made him take the remaining beers over to the party for him. He looked nervously at her and took a sip of his own beer.

"You and me ought to go out sometime" Jessica said and Charlie laughed obviously remembering the similar conversation back in the hospital, but Jessica was not joking. She was going to find out why he wouldn't go out with her.

"Do you find me attractive?" she asked and Charlie turned to face her, looking right into her green eyes

"Very much so" he replied, his laugh was now gone

"And we get on really well?"

"We do" he replied again unable to takes his eyes away from her

"Then what's the problem?, why won't you go out with me?"

"many reasons" he said. The cop-out excuse angered her and she demanded to know what the reasons were.

"Well for a start, I'm too old for you" he said. Now he looked like he definitely wanted to exit out of this conversation.

Age had never concerned Jessica. To her they were both adults. She wasn't some twenty-something socialite looking for a sugar daddy. There couldn't be more than 10 years between them and in Jessica's eyes they had always been the same. The look on her face showed him what a pitiful excuse she though it was.

"Ok, Look, I already told you why I don't date, I am happy as I am and you are too important to me for some casual hook-up" he said.

Jessica found herself a little taken aback by the comment. She had never really considered that he'd had casual relationships.

"You do that, you have casual…" she couldn't even say it she was so surprised

"Hell, Jess I'm not a monk you know" he said and Jessica felt a little embarrassed and apologised for her shocked response.

"It's just that I've never heard anyone mention that" Jessica said.

Charlie had gradually moved in front of her so she had her back pressed up against the counter. They spoke quietly to each other trying to keep their conversation to themselves and not include the other patrons sat in the bar.

"Well it's not something I go round bragging about" he said a little offended at her surprise. She explained about the gossip in the nurses lounge and all the time she had been there she's never heard about his one night stands.

"Who?…" she stopped the question as soon as she started, as if he was going to tell her who he had slept with.

"There's just a couple of women that let me know if they want to… you know" he said leaning his hand on the counter next to Jessica so he had her half caged in against the bar.

Jessica was intrigued by the conversation and wanted to know more, especially since Charlie suddenly seemed willing to talk.

"What, do they just come up to you and ask you straight out?" she asked.

The Chief suddenly looked away and seemed too embarrassed as he shook his head to her question

"All those home cooked meals I get" Charlie started to say and paused again

"Sometimes I get given an apple pie and that's how I know they are interested in….stuff"

Jessica nearly spat her mouthful of beer while his words registered.

"Women actually do that, that's the most disgusting thing I've ever heard" she replied trying to keep a massive grin off her face while she said it

"Well, it doesn't happen very often so don't be thinking there's a different woman every week" he said rolling his eyes at her obvious amusement at his expense.

"You have sex for pie" she whispered still trying to stop herself from laughing

Charlie looked around to check no-one was listening to his awkward confession and moved a little closer to Jessica. He stretched out a little further behind her causing his shirt to rise slightly. Jessica's eyes were momentarily drawn to visible skin at his waist line.

She laughed a few more times, then all of a sudden the smile vanished, her features deep in thought. She slowly looked up at the Chief horror stricken.

"Oh my God, I gave you my left over apple pie at lunch once" she said and watched as a slow smile grew across Charlie's face,

"I remember it well" he replied his words filled with lust.

Charlie's comment caused Jessica's breath to hitch and also seemed to bring the conversation to a holt leaving an awkward silence. He moved closer still and Jessica impulsively placed her hand to that bare skin at his waist and gently pulled him closer. He gave no resistance until their bodies touched in almost everyway. Jessica watched his eyes close, his own breath catching at the feel of her warm touch on his skin, the stillness between them almost unbearable.

"W….What are you thinking about" she said, the words coming out as a whisper. He opened his eyes and seem to drink her in.

"A whole world of things I shouldn't be thinking. What about you?" the Chief replied

Jessica held his gaze for the longest time searching for the confidence to say what was on her mind. Her throat went dry and she struggled to get the words out

"I'm thinking… I'm thinking …you still owe me for that apple pie"

Charlie's mouth found hers before she had chance to take a breath. His lips were hot and tasted of beer much like her own. The hand that rested on the Chief's waist snaked around his back, under the shirt and pulled him as close as she could get him.

The kiss deepened, overflowed with passion but remained agonisingly slow. Jessica could feel him holding back. His hand gripped the fabric of her dress growing tighter the longer the kiss remained, Charlie was fighting to keep self control.

Once again Jessica found herself in two minds. She wanted more of him than he was giving her but she also felt nervous as to where it all might lead. Somewhere in the back of her mind she was glad that he wasn't pushing her.

Time stopped in those moments, they paused for breath on occasion before continuing. Jessica didn't want it to end. Having him this close to her felt good, it felt right. Her body seemed to relax into him as she came to this realisation and that's when she felt him start to pull away. He pushed himself back slightly and looked down at her.

His anguished expression told her it this wasn't going to end well and sure enough once he had gained his breath back Charlie spoke and ruined it all

"Jess, I'm so sorry I can't do this" he said, and Jessica felt her stomach drop as she watched him slowly walk away and out of the door, sure she could actually feel her heartbreak as he disappeared from view. Stood alone in bar Jessica seemed to be frozen to the spot. That had been their last chance. Any future relationship between them had just evaporated.

'Great' she thought 'yet another man set to ruin my life'


	9. Chapter 9

The thick black coffee almost made the Chief gag as he chugged it back. The actions from the night before had left a moderate hangover but it was the sickness in the pit of his stomach that was causing the problems. That was almost certainly caused by guilt over what he had done to Jessica at the party.

He raked his fingers through his hair trying to rid the image of her heartbroken face as he left her there in the bar. How could he have done that to her? Charlie shook the thoughts from his head, swallowed the last of the black stuff and gabbed his windbreaker from the kitchen table before walking out the front door.

Pete sat waiting in the police car at the end of the drive. Charlie had phoned ahead for a pick up. He was pretty sure he would still be over the limit to drive himself. The brisk morning air felt like a smack across Charlie's face as he set off towards Pete who gave him a quick wave of acknowledgement.

Charlie had nodded back but seemed to notice a shifting shape in his peripheral vision. Turning to that direction revealed Jacob charging across the front lawn. The kid looked pissed, in fact he looked like he wanted to rip Charlie's throat out.

Before the Chief had time to do anything Jake was in his face.

"That was a real douche-move last night Chief" he yelled, waving a finger at Charlie like he could do actual physical harm with it. He looked at the kid stunned by the aggressive outburst coming from his best friends son.

"What the Hell did you just say to me" Charlie yelled back causing Jacob to falter for a moment.

But a moment was all it was. Jake wondered if speaking in such a manner to his Dad's best friend, Bella's father and Chief of Police was a mistake but at that moment it didn't matter. The guy had been a dick and he needed calling on it.

"I took Jessica home last night" Jake added and saw the colour drain form the Chief's face. For a good minute or so Charlie looked at the floor, looked at the sky, looked anywhere but the kid stood in front of him. The guilt of his actions now digging deeper than his two stab wounds joined together.

"Wa..was she okay?" he asked forlornly and Jake seemed to snort at the absurdity of that question.

_Jake remembered back to the night before, he had stepped into the bar from the party just as the Chief pulled away from Jessica and walked from the bar. It looked pretty clear what had been going on. The girl looked almost bereft standing alone in the aftermath. There were a few moments when the desire to drag the Chief back into the bar to put things right overpowered the need to comfort Jessica, but he looked over at her and saw that she looked close to breaking down. She had looked over as Jacob approached and he wondered if she could actually tell it was him through the river of tears she was determined to hold back. _

"_Come on I'll take you home" he had quietly said, not bringing attention to the others still at the party_.

Still on the front lawn, Pete had stepped out of the car.

"Hey, Chief, you need some help over there" he called, taking a step towards them. Charlie rolled his eyes at this front lawn stand-off and shouted back over.

"Don't bother yourself it's fine, go to the station I'll get the kid here to give me a ride in shortly"

Pete nodded hesitantly and slowly pulled away from the scene.

Jacob's eyes narrowed at the Chief's presumption. Like Hell he was giving this guy a lift anywhere.

"Listen, I get that you don't want to get involved with anyone, Chief. I know you're quite happy to be miserable and alone for all eternity, and that's fine with me, but messing with this girl who so obviously is in love with you is just really cruel"

There were only two words in that sentence that registered with Charlie.

"She's not in lov…." he couldn't even finish the thought and he raked his hand through his hair again.

"She's means something to you. Everyone knows it. I see it, so does Bella, she would be so good for you, just let her in" Jacob begged, the anger within him starting to ebb.

Charlie closed his eyes briefly and the memory of that kiss came flooding back. How soft her lips were against his. He could still feel her hand wrapped around his back, it had felt so good. Jessica Jones was so witty, and caring, so easy to talk to and to top it off she was sexy as hell. He couldn't deny he had feelings for her, she was amazing. He looked up at the kid feeling the need to come clean.

"Yeah, I like her okay, I admit it" he said it as thought he was finally confessing to a drug problem. Jacob just stood quietly smiling

"But she deserves better, Jake, better than me and my life" Jacob just shook his head at the weak excuse and it angered Charlie

"Ok, so I let her in, we go out, what then?, we move in together, it all goes great and wonderful, so what the Hell do I tell her about Bella and why she can't ever meet my grandchild because the whole town expects her to still be a small child".

Jacob actually stepped back listening to the rant. The Chief had made a good point. Was it fair to drag poor Jessica into this knowing you would have to tell her so many lies about the important people in your life?

"Chief" Jacob began now talking much more restrained, seeing a genuine reason now for Charlie's behaviour.

"This town has held my family's secret for centuries and we've still managed to maintain relationships. Don't let it be the reason that stops you being with someone who makes you happy. If it comes to it Charlie, we will help you find a way to make it work"

Charlie looked into the eyes of this boy. How did this guy half his age seem to have all the answers and make it all sound simple?

"I..I don't think I can do it too her" Charlie whispered still considering all the arguments Jacob had made.

The anger had returned to Jacob and his finger poked the Chief hard in the chest.

"Let me just say then. You've either got to be 'all in' or 'all out'. Stop messing with her like you did last night. It's not fair and it isn't doing either of you any good" he said. Then turned his back on the Chief swiftly marching away in the direction he had arrived.

Charlie was left alone then, watching his expelled breath rise in the cold early morning air. What was he going to do? There was no doubt in his mind that Jessica was better off without him but was he better off without her?

How could he be!


	10. Chapter 10

"Jessica, could I have a word with you in my office please?" Carlisle asked quite seriously

She had just stepped out of a patients room to see him stood in the corridor waiting for her. 'Oh crap' was her first thought. There was none of the usual friendliness she had come to expect from the Doctor and it made her wonder what she had done wrong.

Shaking slightly Jessica sat down on the chair opposite her boss. The Doctor's room was filled with contemporary design. The colour scheme was pale and reflected the light from the rather small window giving it a much brighter feel. Jessica sat on a chair of moulded plastic that was strangely very comfortable. She imagined it looked a lot more suited to some futuristic sci-fi movie than in the middle of this small town, but it had a relaxing feel to it.

"I've just had a call from HR" he said as his lips closed into a tight line. Jessica felt her head drop and she looked to the floor. He didn't need to say anymore, she knew why she had been called to his office.

"They tell me you've handed in your notice" he continued and Jessica still couldn't look at him.

"I'm your boss, you bring things like that to me"

She knew this. It was wishful thinking that she could avoid this situation. Having to explain herself in person was so much harder.

"I know, I'm sorry. Have you read the letter?" she asked

"No, I haven't read it, I haven't seen it, I wish it didn't even exist" he replied with a slight edge to his voice that Jessica had not heard before.

"I want to know why I'm soon to be a nurse short. A really good nurse that is going to be very hard to replace?"

Hell, that made Jessica feel even worse. She looked around his office, glancing at modern art on the walls trying to glean some calming influence from them while she tried to explain.

"You knew when I arrived here that I'm a bit of a nomad. I like to travel around and experience different places" she told him

"I think I have just outstayed my welcome here and it's time I moved on".

Carlisle shook his head. He knew she was lying. He was sure the real reason was that she had been running away from an ex husband, who had almost managed to find her some months earlier. Carlisle also knew that Charlie Swan had kept close tabs on the guy's whereabouts. The Chief had used his contacts to track his movements and they knew Frank Cooper was currently a good thousand miles away somewhere near North Dakota and heading further east every week. He wasn't coming back, not any time soon anyway. With that fact in mind it was clear that was not the reason Jessica was leaving Forks, something else must have happened.

Jessica sat in silence while Doctor Cullen stared at her, eyes narrowed. It was obvious he hadn't believed her 'nomad' story and he looked like he was trying to decipher the reason. She hated that he always seemed to be able to tell what she was thinking.

He sighed sadly. "I always thought that you were just moving around until you found somewhere you could make a home. I was hoping Forks was that place. You have friends here who will miss you, Jessica!"

His guilt trip wouldn't work on her, she had made her mind up to move on and that's what was happening.

The Doctor leaned forward and looked at if he was about to say something that made him uncomfortable. Jessica watched his mouth open and close a couple of times while he summoned the courage to speak it.

"Are you leaving because of…. Charlie Swan?" he asked quickly, on a breath he seemed to be holding.

The best thing Jessica could do would be to deny, deny, deny. But the Doctor's comments had come as such a shook she was unable to control the tear that fell down her cheek. And wasn't that just the admission she didn't want to give. The Doctor leaned back into his chair letting out a big sigh.

"The thing you don't know about me is, I have a bit of a bad history with men" Jessica began, suddenly feeling the need to come clean about her reasons for leaving.

"I've had a bit of a difficult time these last few years and I finally thought I found a good man even though I wasn't really looking for one. Charlie is a good man, but….he's broken. I think his ex wife really did a number on him" she took a minute to wipe the tear from her cheek and check if the Doctor was interested in anything she was saying. He sat quietly and nodded for her to continue.

"He doesn't think he is broken, that's the problem. I…I think he likes me but won't let me in, won't let me get close". Another tear fell from her green eyes and Carlisle passed a tissue her way.

"I'm not the most put together person myself, and I'm not a very strong person Doc, when I come up against a problem, I run away. It's… how I cope. As pathetic as it might sound to you, everything in this town reminds me of the Chief and I'm struggling to handle it. I need to leave" She finished, pulling at the tissue in her hands

Carlisle wanted to shout at her and tell her that running away was not an acceptable way to deal with this problem. There were enough people in town to help her get through this, but who was he to tell her how to cope. He didn't know what had happened to her in the past, he could only guess. Maybe this was the best option for her. But out of everything that had been said in that office the thing that was most clear was that Charlie Swan was an idiot.

"Your resignation is on hold. I want you to take a couple of days to think about your life here and reconsider. I don't want to loose you as a nurse or as a friend" he told her

She nodded mainly because it would get her out of the office faster. Too much personal information had spilled from her lips over that last hour and it made her feel naked and a little scared. She thanked the doctor for his time and left to get back to work.

It was proving hard to get her mind back on work after that conversation, but she had another 2 hours left on her shift and lots of things needed doing. Striding down the corridor towards the nurses lounge she wiped her weepy eyes one last time and came face to face with the chief.

It seemed 'her friend' the Doctor had phoned Charlie minutes before hauling her into his office. It had been the first time she had seen in since the kiss and he looked pretty angry.


	11. Final Chapter

**Here we are at the end. Thanks for joining me.**

How many days had it been since that kiss? 4? 5? How had he managed to leave it so long before seeing her? After the front lawn showdown with Jacob, Charlie had decided he needed to have a good look at himself and what he wanted from his life, but then the Winston factory arson had happened and he had been bogged down at the station trying to sort out that situation.

After the Doc had phoned, Charlie found himself heading to the hospital before Carlisle had finished talking. Jessica had apparently handed in her notice and that seem to fill him with anger at her unbelievably stupid move.

His temper hadn't calmed any by the time he walked through the hospital doors. Desperate eyes scanned the room for her. He had been there so many times, but for some reason the place seemed twice as big and twice as busy. Jack, one of the orderlies stood by the front desk and smiled over to him

"Hey, Chief, can I help you?"

"Where's Jess? Charlie's blunt question offered no friendly small talk.

"Not seen her for a good hour or so" Jack answered but Charlie was already moving through the room towards the far corridor

No more that 3 steps towards the Doc's office and he came face to face with the object of his search. They both froze for a second as they eyed each other up, but the rage in Charlie's head took over.

"Did you just hand in your resignation?" the words seemed to bounce off the corridor walls and cause a couple of heads to peer out of doorways to see what was going on.

"Are you skipping town too?" he added

Jessica seemed to flinch slightly at the boom of his voice, which he would have noticed if he hadn't been so focused on his own anger.

"I'm.. I'm just ready to move on" her voice sounded timid against his fury and she ushered him in to an empty room away from prying eyes. The words she had spoken seem to exasperate him further

"You don't 'move on' Jess". Charlie stated almost spitting out the words.

"You 'run'. I know you've been running all this time and I know who you've been running from. Frank Cooper" Charlie realised the second he had said the name it had been a mistake. Jessica's eyes had grown to the size of saucers, she had stepped back far away from the Chief and the colour had drained from her cheeks.

"You know about Frank?" she whispered and seemed unable to look him in the face.

"He came here a while back and…." again, totally the wrong thing to say

"He….he was here? In Forks?" she asked, this time her eyes meeting Charlie's with complete fear in them. She started to move around the room, mumbling to herself and Charlie could only catch a few words but he understood her. She was more determined than ever to leave and do it immediately. He was supposed to be talking her out of going and instead made her even more resolved.

"I have to go…I have to go, now" Jessica repeated and Charlie could tell she was working through some escape plan. After numerous failed attempts to ask her to calm down Charlie grabbed her by the shoulders holding her still to the spot, forcing her to take notice of him.

"Listen to me. Frank is long gone from here, he's not coming back. I have friends who help me track where he is going. I can keep you safe if you stay here. You need to stay in Forks" he was almost pledging for her to take in what he was saying

Jessica fell silent for a moment and Charlie reluctantly took his hands away her shoulders. The feeling of her so close to him brought back the memory of her lips upon his. _How had he managed to screw this up so bad? _Jessica sat back on the edge of the hospital bed and asked Charlie to explain all that had happened with Frank.

He told her about the night Frank turned up at the hospital and about where the guy currently was. Then about how he would keep her save. The main thing Charlie knew for sure was that he could keep that guy away from Jessica. He had friends across the country who could help him and failing that he had his 'other' friends, the ones with 'special' skills that he was sure would come running in a heartbeat.

Her face was filled with gratitude as he finished his little story. Her appearance suddenly looked as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Jessica had believed whole heartedly that the Chief could keep Frank Cooper away from her and for a few minutes she did indeed feel safe.

"You didn't have to do that, Thank you" she said and smiled softly at him, but he could see that it was a goodbye smile, she was still planning on leaving. Jessica stood up and walked past him to the door.

"You can't go, you can't go" he said panicking as she continued to walk away trying to ignore him.

"Jess" he bellowed as he followed her back toward the hospital main lobby. The sheer volume of his voice made her stop and turn towards him. The Chief looked distraught as he just stood and stared at her. She waited to see if he'd speak and when nothing came Jessica began to turn back around.

"Don't leave me…..please"

The words that had left the Chief's mouth where unlike anything Jessica had ever heard from him. She had once mused that the Chief was impassive and it was hard to tell his true feelings but in that moment it all became clear, to her as well as the lobby filled with staff and patients who had fallen silent at his words. The Chief was scared, He had lost his wife all those years ago and he was afraid of the same thing happening again.

The hospital orderlies at the front desk stood with heads bent completing paperwork and patients sat waiting to be called for appointments but the ruse of looking busy couldn't hide the silence that filled the room, only Charlie in his now desperate state hadn't noticed.

Jessica stepped back towards him, her heart almost breaking to see him so vulnerable and distressed in front of her. The words she spoke we gentle

"I'm not leaving _you_ Charlie, we were never together" Her hand caressed his cheek as she spoke, a last touch before she walked away but he grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled her close.

"I…I pushed you away at every single opportunity, I thought if I didn't let you get close that I couldn't feel the pain when you eventually left" he began to say and once again Jessica could feel an anger towards Renee for doing this to him.

"But like you just said we were never together yet you leaving hurts so bad. I can't imagine a greater pain than I feel right now. I've been in love with you since that stupid school dance, Jess, and pushing you away hasn't done a damned thing to help" He loosened the grip on her arm but didn't let go

"Please, I've been an idiot, don't leave me now".

Jessica lay her other hand on his chest now, trying to make sense of all that had happened, he had gone from pushing her away to telling her he loved her. It was a lot to take in, but she would be the bigger idiot to run away now. This is what she had wanted. The thought of getting into a new relationship terrified her but she knew it terrified him too and it was something they would have to work on together.

Jessica leaned in and pressed her lips to his, softly. Instantly she felt him pull her close and kiss her back. The Chief gently pulled away and whispered to her

"You'll stay?"

She nodded back "I'll stay" and then she felt his lips touch hers again. This time the kiss was filled with relief.

He promised he would take things slow. She still hadn't told him about what Frank had done to her and maybe she never would but he had guessed it wasn't good. He would go as slow as she wanted, that was fine with him.

The first evening they had found themselves alone was after the gang's usual evening in. The Chief had sat next to her all evening on the sofa. His hand resting gently on her thigh, never moving as though he still feared she would leave if he let her go. Jacob had been on good form, organising a drinking game based around Charlie's foul mouth comments to the game on TV. Billy regaled the group with some childhood story of a terrible surfing adventure he'd had with Charlie and Harry back in the day. Sue talked about what they were all like when she had first started dating Harry. It had been one of Jessica's better nights out.

The evening eventually waned and the guests left one by one until all that remained was Jessica and her man. There were a certain amount of nerves in the air as Charlie led her slowly to his bedroom. As soon as she stepped inside Charlie's lips where heavy on hers and she felt a tingle radiate through her from the passionate kiss.

He slowly backed her up using her body to close the door until she was flat up against it. Jessica felt him press his own body to her and his fingers pulled at her blouse bottom until he could feel the skin underneath. There was that hunger in him she had felt back that night in the bar.

He moved his lips to her neck sending shivers of pleasure down her spine and she unconsciously tipped her head to give him better access. Without taking his lips off her skin the Chief started to unbutton her blouse kissing each bit of newly exposed skin. Jessica found herself breathing faster she he continued to kiss his way down her body, her bra now fully exposed and he rested his lips on her belly button.

Jessica's hands seem to gain an ever tightening grip to the back of his neck and head as his lips continued to send tingles throughout her body.

"Slow, slow, you promised to go slow" she mumbled to herself

It was then that Charlie dropped to his knees in front of her and slowly unfastened her trousers,

"What are you… this doesn't feel slow….you promised me you'd take it….' her words came out as an anxious whisper but Charlie lifted his eyes and with a devilish grin promised her he'd take it slow. It was then that…..

'Ohhh God…that moustache'

There was only one thought then that filled her head

"No complaints here".


End file.
